seem to recall he won the thing last year, did he not? So Max will indeed be aboard - thankee for the reminder, as I tend to overlook UK racing.

Multiple grade 2 winner Hoist the Gold headlines a field of 12 older horses entered for the $350,000 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) April 5 at Keeneland.View the full article

Netflix will release a six-episode documentary series following Thoroughbred owners and jockeys April 22 titled "Race for the Crown."View the full article

Sonata Stable's Arzak is back in the bluegrass to defend his title in the $400,000 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) April 5.View the full article

A lawsuit seeking the removal of seven board members of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association has been set for trial.View the full article

Journalism and Citizen Bull, considered the top two Kentucky Derby (G1) prospects, will meet for the first time in the Santa Anita Derby (G1)View the full article

The odds are good that Irving Moncada will have his own cheering sections when he rides at Keeneland. The apprentice jockey grew up in Lexington and is a 2019 graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, just three miles from the track. View the full article

"The Senate's first of three committee stops showed that there's more work to be done to fight this deeply flawed bill, but this is a fight we can win," said FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell.View the full article

Undefeated in three starts around one turn, Eclatant aims to solidify her place among the best of the 3-year-old filly sprint division in the $400,000 Beaumont Stakes (G2) at Keeneland April 6.View the full article

After beating Romantic Warrior in the Saudi Cup (G1), Forever Young enters the April 5 Dubai World Cup (G1) looking around for another challenger.View the full article

While Forever Young is the talk of the Dubai World Cup media briefings April 2, out on the track it was the Noburu Takagi-trained pair of Ushba Tesoro and Wilson Tesoro that drew admiring glances after going through their pre-World Cup paces. View the full article

The season kicked off Dec. 26, 2024, with the largest non-weekend or holiday opening day crowd in 34 years. To date, Santa Anita has hosted more than 293,000 visitors during the Classic Meet, a gain of more than 8% over last year.View the full article

The non-profit Manitoba Jockey Club, operators of Assiniboia Downs, announced the addition of five new members to the board of directors, bringing the total to 11.View the full article

Three major Kentucky Derby (G1) preps are this weekend. Don't miss a race with this handy schedule of programs on radio and TV compiled by America's Best Racing.View the full article

Stonestreet Stables' Emery looks to extend to three her unbeaten streak at Keeneland as she will face familiar foes and talented older mares in the $650,000 Madison Stakes (G1) April 5.View the full article

Jose Ortiz won three stakes races, including sweeping the track’s feature races, the Arkansas Derby (G1) and the Fantasy (G2) on March 29 and the Hot Springs Stakes on March 30. The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz Jockey of the Week.View the full article

Final declarations are through for the second day of the Aintree Grand National meeting. Another very strong card with four championship races. The Mildmay Novices Chase over 5000m features impressive Cheltenham winner CALDWELL POTTER who looked a real star when winning the Novices Handicap Chase. That was a Grade 2 and he's now at the top table but if he jumps and gallops as he did at Prestbury that step up will be of no import. His main opponent looks to be HANDSTANDS who swerved Cheltenham having won the Towton at Ffos Las and the Scilly Isles at Sandown where he beat subsequent Arkle winner (and Manifesto favourite) JANGO BAIE but they were on much softer turf. I think this quicker ground will test his fencing which hasn't been perfect. STELLAR STORY was second in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham (DANCING CITY sixth) and that entitles him to respect but this is going to be a very different race and they might go quick enough form him. Ten go in the Top Novices Hurdle over 3250m and possibly not the strongest renewal of this race. I fancied ROMEO COOLIO in the Supreme at Cheltenham and he ran well enough in third. I thought he didn't quite get home up the Prestbury hill and this flatter track will be much more to his liking. He has eleven lengths in hand of SALVATOR MUNDI and his biggest danger is likely to be Dovecote winner TRIPOLI FLYER. Now, we know TRIPOLI FLYER likes flat tracks and decent ground and was second in the Bumper here last year so he's a serious threat to ROMEO COOLIO even though he's officially 8 lbs inferior on the ratings. Just four stand in the 4000m Melling Chase and while he's 4/6 to win this race for a second time and enhance his already good Aintree record to three wins from four runs, JONBON isn't top rated. Go back to 2022 and his sole defeat here came at the hands of EL FABIOLO in the Top Novices Hurdle and indeed EL FABIOLO would beat JONBON again in the 2023 Arkle at Cheltenham.  EL FABIOLO flopped badly in the 2024 Queen Mother Champion Chase and was beaten four lengths by JONBON at Sandown over 3150m. This season, EL FABIOLO fell in the Dublin Chase but was then turned over at 4/11 in the Webster at Navan over 4050m. We know JONBON stays this trip and indeed probably prefers it these days to 3200m, the jury is out on EL FABIOLO but we also know EL FABIOLO goes on the ground and likes the course so perhaps over this trip on this ground on this sharp track stamina won't be so much of an issue. JONBON has to come back from a disappointing Cheltenham where they went fast enough and got his jumping under pressure - this will be his comfort zone and I think he'll win again. PROTEKTORAT has been a fine servant for connections but won't be able to live with these faster horses on this ground. Fifteen go in the Sefton Novices Hurdle over 4850m. It's another poor renewal but very open - top rated FAMILIAR EFFORT has won at Grade 3 level but all his form is on much softer ground. CALIFET EN VOL is, as you might expect, an ex-French galloper now with Nicky Henderson and he loved the decent Kempton ground when winning over 4200m and then won the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon over 3950m so trip and ground will be optimum and he's 4/1 favourite. MISTER MEGGIT has only had one run this season for Jonjo O'Neill and won over 4000m at Aintree last November - has he been laid out for this race? Almost certainly but that was an ordinary novice and this is a championship race. MOON ROCKET has solid form but may not be good enough and at a bigger price I like CREST OF FORTUNE each way at 25s. He's been consistent over slightly shorter ths season but I think the step up in trip will help and the stable are in very good form. Selections - Day 2: Mildmany Novices Chase: CALDWELL POTTER Top Novices Hurdle: TRIPOLI FLYER Melling Chase: JONBON Sefton Novices Hurdle: CREST OF FORTUNE (each way)

Maiden Watch: Week of March 24-30View the full article

The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour preserved his unblemished record in Sydney group 1 races when he added the April 2 Tancred Stakes (G1) to his back-to-back 2023 triumphs in the Ranvet Stakes (G1) and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1). View the full article

Just in case he wasn't already front-of-mind with racing fans worldwide, Japan's Forever Young stirred souls in the Saudi Cup (G1), prevailing over Romantic Warrior (IRE) in one of the greatest stretch duels in international dirt racing history.View the full article